The Rickards High School Raiders outscored the Bainbridge Bearcats 8-0 in the first 1:47 of the fourth quarter Monday night and went on to post a 76-60 victory in the opening round of the 18th annual Capital City Basketball Classic at the Tallahassee-Leon County Civic Center.

The win improved the Raiders record to 10-0. The Bearcats took a 9-2 record into their final Classic game Tuesday night against the East Gadsden High School Jaguars.

Bearcat guard Marquis Williams, who finished with eight points, had gotten the Bearcats to within nine, at 54-45, when he hit consecutive three-point jumpers at the 1:26 and 1:15 marks of the third quarter.

Earlier in the third quarter, James Lodman, who led the Bearcats in scoring with 12 points, brought the crowd to its feet when he drove down the lane and slammed dunked one home getting the Bearcats to within 10, at 47-37.

After Williams, who finished with eight, cut the lead to nine, Lodman drove in for a layup off the left glass to get it down to seven, at 54-47,

Raiders Avery Moore, who took game-scoring honors with 16, countered with a three-point jumper from the right side with 12 seconds showing on the clock to send the Raiders to the fourth quarter up 57-47.

The Raiders 8-0 opening fourth-quarter scoring run was highlighted by a three-point jumper from the left side by Devonte Johnson at the 6;42 mark that made it 63-47. Johnson finished in double figures with 11. His teammate Jakari Bush had 12.

The Bearcats took the early lead Monday night, grabbing a 2-0 advantage on a jumper from the right by Lodman just 55 seconds into the game. The Raiders then quickly took a 4-2 lead when Moore hit a layup off the right glass at the 6:40 mark, and Christopher Brant took a pass and slammed it in at the 5:40 mark.

The Bearcats quickly tied it up 4-4 on another Lodman jumper from the right at the 5:40 mark and went back ahead 7-4 on a three-point jumper from the right baseline at the 4:11 mark.

Moore got the Raiders back even 7-7 when he converted a three-point play at the 3:59 mark. He drove in for a layup off the right glass at the 3:59 mark, was fouled, and hit a free throw. The Raiders led by just five, 18-13, at the end of the first quarter.

After the game, Bearcats head coach Rickey McCullough said he thought his team played hard.

“I thought James Lodman really stepped up and played well,” he said. “Marquis Williams hitting those two straight three-pointers in the third quarter was big as well. Give Rickards credit. We knew they were a very big team with good shooters, and they were hitting their shots tonight.”